EU ambassadors agreed in principle on the 13th package of sanctions imposed against Russia in response to its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Belgian Presidency of the EU Council announced on Feb. 21.
"This package is one of the broadest approved by the EU. It will undergo a written procedure and be formally approved for February 24," the presidency said on social media.
The European Commission has previously said it aims to have the package in place to mark the second anniversary of the full-scale invasion on Feb. 24.
"We are adding almost 200 persons and entities to our package of designations, bringing over EU listings to over 2000," said Josep Borrell, the EU's chief diplomat.
"With this package, we are taking more action against entities involved in circumvention, the defense and military sectors."
The listings include 48 heads of Russian military companies and over 50 enterprises supporting Russia's war, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) reported.
It also reportedly includes 12 members of Russian occupation authorities in Ukraine, including those responsible for the indoctrination of Ukrainian children.
The new package further aims to block the supplies of drone components used by the Russian defense industry. Some 27 companies are targeted under these measures, including those based in China, India, Turkey, Serbia, and Kazakhstan, as reported by RFE/RL.
Hungary reportedly tried to remove Russian oligarchs Alisher Usmanov, Viatcheslav Kantor, and Dmitry Mazepin Jr. from the sanctions list, but unsuccessfully, RFE/RL wrote.
The Financial Times reported on Feb. 15 that Hungary had blocked the package due to the presence of Chinese companies on the list, but Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto later said that Budapest would not obstruct the approval.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
